Today's Edition
Kuumar Shyam (Abu Dhabi)
A start-up in providing sustainable mobility solutions, especially in the last-mile delivery segment, is on track to introduce indigenously manufactured e-motorcyles in the UAE by the end of the first quarter in 2025.
Founded by Mansoor Ali Khan and Yasmeen Ali from India, E Daddy has been working since last year in Dubai to roll out an assembly line of e-bikes or motorcycles which can soon claim to be manufactured end-to-end, a first in the automobile sector in the UAE.
“Right now, we are focusing on the B2B market in the last-mile delivery market to start with, before we scale it up, one step at a time,” said Yasmeen Ali, in a conversation with Aletihad. She is joined by the company’s Chief Technical Officer Sirajudeen Jalaludeen. E Daddy has already two places identified with part work being carried out until a full-fledged production facility gets ready very early next year.
“Our vision is to establish E Daddy as a leading name in the electric vehicle (EV) industry across the GCC and Africa,” Yasmeen Ali said. After introducing three-wheeler EVs closer to home in Chennai, the company headed to Africa first when it came to two-wheelers and found the recipe for instant success under the banner of M Auto Electric.
Now, with more than 10 years of experience in vast markets such as India and Africa, E Daddy is looking at the UAE and then the GCC region.
“We aim to be recognised for our innovative approach and unwavering commitment to sustainability, setting new benchmarks for the electric vehicle market. We strive to transform urban transportation by providing electric vehicles that are not only technologically advanced but also accessible and practical for everyday use in our region,” said Yasmeen Ali.
The company’s futuristic vision came from Mansoor Ali Khan, who retrofitted three-wheelers in public transport, called autorickshaws, with electric kits in the South Indian city of Chennai and even trained women drivers to boost self-employment, while trying to protect the population from rising petrol prices.
With the UAE promoting sustainable initiatives heavily, the next market choice has been a no-brainer. The company claims to have got funding of $15 million with two facilities – Dubai Industrial City and National Industries Park – providing the manufacturing base while the office is in Business Bay. Since the testing and the final processes on the end-product cannot be pre-empted, the all-important lithium battery for the EV motorcycles will be imported, for the time-being.
“The rest of the bike, especially the electric and metal components are being locally sourced from vendors in Dubai and Sharjah,” said Jalaludeen. “Because the battery is our well-researched product, once the vehicle passes the necessary tests as per the UAE’s specifications, we will move on to the next stage of getting the batteries produced here. This innovative vehicle is projected to save 0.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.”
The e-motorcycles are expected to have a range of 85-90 kilometres per charge and expected to be in a price range of Dh10-11,000, as of current estimates by Jalaludeen.
E Daddy claims to employ cutting-edge methods into its electric vehicles, including self-diagnostic techniques and a unique battery technology which features a double-layer cooling system. These advancements ensure optimal battery performance, even during peak temperatures nearing 50°C, a fairly often setting in the UAE climate.
Addressing the topic and the related issue of charging viability, Yasmeen Ali said: “For now, since we are addressing the B2B market, we have to assume that the last-mile delivery users will be taken care of with the companies’ support where they may have designated spots to bring the EVs and change batteries or charge them.”
Jalaludeen added that the motorcycles will not need any special, separate charging stations to the extent which the UAE has set up where even building parking lots have designated infrastructure. However, to a suggestion of having space in the EV’s storage for a spare battery, he conceded it could be a possibility that could be looked into.
Regarding the import of the batteries on a mass scale for now, Yasmeen Ali said that the co-operation of both India and UAE governments, especially with policies such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in place, has made it easy for them to focus on delivery a quality product.
